


Cocktails Mixed For Polite and Bashful Friends

by HellsLittleLiar



Series: O let me, true in love, but truly write [5]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Drinking, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of past abuse, Modern Era, POV Outsider, Past Abuse, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:28:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28579749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellsLittleLiar/pseuds/HellsLittleLiar
Summary: Valerie owns a bar which hosts an open mic night every Friday. Her favourite regular, Julian, has been missing for several months and she's getting worried, especially since he has that awful boyfriend.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion/Valdo Marx
Series: O let me, true in love, but truly write [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2024696
Comments: 18
Kudos: 272





	Cocktails Mixed For Polite and Bashful Friends

Running a pub meant that you got a few regulars and Valerie knew all of hers, especially the ones that attended open mic nights. When she was much younger, before she opened a pub of her own, having favourites amongst the regulars made her feel like a bad bartender, similar to a terrible parents having a favourite child. However the longer she owned her pub, the less she cared about such things and openly embraced having her favourites.

Valerie’s absolute favourite regular was Julian. Once a week, on Fridays, he showed up to perform at open mic night and absolutely blew all of the other performer’s out of the water. She genuinely didn’t know why he wasn’t attempting to make it as a professional musician. He would always sing and play an instrument to accompany himself, most often a guitar, but sometimes a ukulele, a banjo or a keyboard. Julian was cheery, sweet and polite to her staff. He never caused trouble. He flirted lightly and respectfully with her bartenders when they served him his one drink of the night. He only ever drank one cocktail, ordering a different one each week until he finally reached the end of the menu. After he ran out of cocktails he started letting the bartenders serve him experimental cocktails and still attempted to pay them. Valerie refused his money since he was doing them a favour and she was a little worried one of her bartenders were going to end up poisoning him at some point. Every week, when he thought she wasn’t looking, he stuffed some money in the tip jar.

Julian dressed in brightly coloured, expensive outfits, but never appeared to be boastful or snobbish. He occasionally walked women back to their cars and, rather than leaving to spend the night with them as Valerie had thought he meant to the first few times, he always returned to the bar. He was a good lad.

There was only one thing Valerie didn’t like about Julian and that was his boyfriend.

The Boyfriend, who had that moniker only because Valerie refused to learn what his name was, began accompanying Julian to open mic nights. It was around the same time Julian stopped playing his own songs and started only performing covers. On the first night, the Boyfriend grabbed Julian’s arm tightly and hissed furiously in his ear. Julian had lowered his gaze to the floor and hadn’t smiled for the rest of the night. Each week, Julian’s cheery exterior was chipped away slowly until there appeared to only be a shell of him left.

Valerie overheard the Boyfriend berating Julian every week for different things; for drinking too much; for not making enough time for him; for talking to the pretty bartenders too much; for offering to walk a woman to her car; for not being a good enough musician to make it a career; for ruining the Boyfriend’s night practically by just existing next to him. The Boyfriend accused him of cheating several times, and while Valerie was certain it was untrue, just like the rest of his baseless accusations, she wouldn’t have blamed Julian if he was cheating. Valerie had some bad relationships in the past and if she was stuck with that piece of shit he called a boyfriend, she would cheat too.

Then the boyfriend had started sharing Julian’s performances on open mic night, bringing down the quality of the performance exponentially, before slowly taking over so Julian no longer performed at all. He sat in the audience instead and cheered on the Boyfriend supportively. It was unfortunate, since many people had actually started coming to Valerie’s Place specifically to watch Julian perform and her customers slowly washed away. It was unfortunate for Valerie as well, since Julian was the better musician., obvious even to her own untrained ears. When the Boyfriend started playing Julian’s songs without giving him credit, Julian didn’t say anything but his supportive smile didn’t quite meet his eyes.

Valerie desperately wanted to kick the Boyfriend out every time he got anywhere near the stage, but due to the spirit of open mic nights, she was forced to endure.

Then, one Friday, Julian didn’t attend open mic night at all. The Boyfriend didn’t show up either, so Valerie thought they might have just decided to spend a date night elsewhere. The next open mic night, the Boyfriend came back but Julian didn’t. He kept returning to Valerie’s Place and performing Julian’s songs and not providing credit. When one brave young bartender decided to pointedly ask him where he had learnt all his songs, the Boyfriend drew himself up importantly and snidely remarked that he wrote all of his own music. Valerie hated to think it, but it was almost a relief when that same bartender came to her with tears in her eyes to inform her that the Boyfriend had groped her. She had taken great pleasure in banning the Boyfriend and watching him throw a fit about it before the bouncers reached them and ejected him from the bar.

Now it had been months since Valerie had seen the Boyfriend, which was excellent news, but it had also been months since she had seen Julian, which was a lot more worrying. She remembered noticing slight bruising around his wrists before he awkwardly tugged his sleeves down. How much had the Boyfriend hurt him? Were the bruises the extent of it? Did he have any other injuries? He disappeared before she had the chance to ask if he needed help.

In her more morbid moments, Valerie wondered if Julian was still alive.

* * *

Valerie almost sobbed in relief as Julian strode confidently back in through the door to her bar months later, with a beaming smile across his face. It was as though no time passed at all, as though he had reverted to the previous Julian from before the Boyfriend had come along and destroyed his sense of self. He bounced over to the bar and waved at her in greeting. She walked over, casually polishing a pint glass as she did, purposely trying not to look too excited.

“What can I get you?” The answer would be a glass of water, it always had been since the Boyfriend started berating him for drinking too much.

“Ooh… Surprise me! I haven’t had one of your lovely cocktails in such a terribly long time!”

Valerie stopped polishing a glass. “A cocktail?” She couldn’t stop herself from asking. “Not a glass of water?”

“Y-yes.” He stuttered, looking nervous suddenly and she immediately regretted clarifying. “I-if that’s okay?”

“Yes! Yes, of course it’s okay.” She put the glass and cloth down under the bar and picked up her measuring cups, flipping them once just to show off. As Julian said, it had been such a long time since he had ordered a cocktail. She wondered if he was going to perform at open mic night too, now his Boyfriend wasn’t here to steal the show. He didn’t have any instruments with him, but he could still sing along to the karaoke machine she had on the small stage.

Valerie placed a napkin on the bar in front of Julian and the cocktail glass on top of that. He tried to hand her some cash so she folded her arms and scowled at him until he put the money back in his pocket. It was good to see he remembered how things worked. Julian took a sip of the cocktail and his eyes lit up.

“This is delicious! I think it’s the most delightful thing I have ever had in my mouth.”

It was with great effort that Valerie managed to prevent herself from making any crass jokes about what had been in Julian’s mouth. He probably knew what she was thinking anyway, as he took one look at her raised eyebrow and giggled before winking playfully at her.

“Haven’t seen you around for a while. You performing tonight?”

“I-if there’s a slot free?”

She waved him off. “You’ll have to wait until the end, but there’s always a slot open for you.”

“Oh.” He looked pleased, a charming pink blush graced his cheeks. Oh, if only she were ten years younger. “Thank you, Miss Valerie.”

“Are you going to sing karaoke?”

“No, my boyfriend is bringing my guitar! We said we’d meet up here.”

She couldn’t stop herself from scowling, so she ducked down beneath the bar to pick up the pint glass and cloth she put down earlier. When she stood up again, she was outwardly calm and collected. That fucking Boyfriend. The waste of space really thought he was welcome here, even after getting banned and tossed out on his arse? Yet, when she looked at Julian’s face, his expression was so open and hopeful, not at all what he looked like in the months before he disappeared. Valerie sighed and submitted herself to the ordeal of being forced to be in the Boyfriend’s presence for the rest of the night. Perhaps she could talk Julian into coming to the next open mic night alone. She could introduce him to some of her single bartenders. A lot of them had shown interest in him, even if he seemed entirely oblivious to their flirting, and Julian had never seemed to show any preference for gender. Any of her bartenders would treat Julian a lot better than that piece of shit did.

He was in such a good mood, though, that Valerie didn’t want to ruin it. She would keep her opinions to herself, for now, but she would make no promises about when the Boyfriend showed up later.

* * *

No matter how much she wanted to, Valerie couldn’t spend the entire night chatting with Julian. She did have other customers she had to attend to, so she left him with his cocktail and covered her fond smile with her hand when she noticed him stuffing cash into the tip jar. Every time the door opened, she turned towards it, waiting for the Boyfriend to show up. There were some regulars who showed up and some new faces she didn’t recognise, which was par for the course on open mic nights.

The door opened again and she turned to check if it was the Boyfriend. It wasn’t, but it was the most terrifying man she had ever seen. She froze as the deep scowl on his face sent a chill up her spine. His hair was bleached white to almost match terribly pale skin, making him look as though he was more inhuman than not. He wore a black leather jacket. Was that a gang jacket? Was he part of the mob? He made his way towards the bar, fuck oh fuck, he was heading towards Julian!

Valerie felt her stomach drop and pushed her way through the crowd as quickly as possible from where she had been helping to set up an amp for one of the open mic acts. There were too many people for her to move fast. Hadn’t Julian been through enough recently? Didn’t Julian get enough shit from the Boyfriend without this guy going up to harass him? She hoped he wasn’t about to try to start a fight and get Julian- or anyone else -hurt.

When she finally emerged from the crowd, gasping for air, she found the man sitting next to Julian at the bar and talking to him calmly. Julian had a genuine smile on his face and was happily chatting to the stranger, whom she finally realised had brought a guitar with him. Valerie breathed a sigh of relief. The man handed the guitar over to Julian and she frowned, concerned. Hadn’t Julian told her the Boyfriend was bringing his guitar? So why had this other man brought it instead? The Boyfriend had fallen through on his promise. Although Valerie was delighted she wouldn’t have to see him tonight, she couldn’t imagine how upset Julian must be at the fact the Boyfriend had disappointed him again.

Valerie moved subtly closer to them, cleaning the bar as she did, so she could eavesdrop on their conversation, just to make sure everything was alright.

“-singer I know.”

“I’m the only singer you know, darling.”

“Hm. Still.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, you sweet thing, you’re trying to be supportive and I’m being dismissive. I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologise for being nervous.”

“Thank you. For coming to support me. I know you’re busy.”

“Not for you. Never.

“Darling, you’re always busy. You’re running a horse sanctuary all by yourself.” Julian patted the man’s hand, then left it to rest there.

“Wouldn’t miss your performance. Wish I could hear you sing all the time.”

“Darling, you can.”

“Hm.”

“Yeah, whenever you like, just ask and I’ll sing for you.”

“Hm.” The man turned his hand over and linked their fingers together. Both of them blushed lightly.

Were Julian and this strange man _flirting with each other?_

He may look terrifying, but from what Valerie overheard of their conversation, he was already far superior to the Boyfriend. He seemed supportive of Julian’s interests and had even helpfully brought his guitar for him even after the Boyfriend let him down. Now that his face wasn’t twisted into a scowl, the man looked rather handsome, with a strong square jaw and high cheekbones.

Come on Julian, she thought hard in his direction, come on, there is someone so much better for you sitting right in front of you. You don’t have to put up with that piece of shit any more. You can move on. You can ditch him right now. This absolute beast of a man is looking at you like he wants to take you home and ravish you, gently. You’re looking at him like you would let him. You never looked at the Boyfriend like that, only with hurt in your eyes and with contempt in his.

Valerie almost regretted signalling to Julian that it was his turn to perform, wishing she didn’t have to interrupt the flirtation. Julian hopped up from his barstool and the man held onto his hand a little longer, pressing a kiss to the back of it before he let go. Julian squeaked and blushed before he ducked down to press his own chaste kiss onto the man’s cheek.

They separated reluctantly and Julian made his way over to the small stage. He sat on a barstool and slung his guitar around to his front before he grinned widely at his audience.

“Hello, everyone. I haven’t been to an open mic night for quite a long time, so I hope you’ll be patient with me. My name is Jaskier… and… and this is a song I wrote myself.”

* * *

There were more cheers and applause for Julian- Jaskier, apparently- than for anyone else who performed that night and Valerie was pleased she made him wait until the end. Nobody else could have followed that up. She grinned at him as he approached the bar again.

“You ever think about doing this professionally?”

He ducked his head. “Oh, you flatter me, Miss Valerie. But I couldn’t possibly do this all the time! I love it but I don’t have time.”

“Oh yeah? What have you been up to anyway?” Now was he chance to figure out where he had been for the past several months.

“I opened a music shop!” He chirped excitedly. Valerie grinned in response as she recalled the Boyfriend reprimanding him several times for not being able to launch a career in the music industry. Well _fuck_ him! Jul-Jaskier had _created_ a job for himself!

“Congratulations. How’s it going?”

“It’s super fun! But I’m not making a lot of money.”

She barked a laugh. “Ain’t that always the way? You’re never going to make money doing what you love. That’s why you’ve gotta choose one way or another.” She put a shot glass of vodka in front of him and he paused.

“Oh. I-I shouldn’t.”

“Come on, it’s on the house. To celebrate your successful return to open mics!” She poured herself a shot and they toasted glasses before knocking them back.

“What does your boyfriend think of your shop?”

“He’s very supportive!” Jaskier sat up straighter in his chair, perking up at the mention of the Boyfriend. “He keeps telling me that I’m doing a great job of running my own business and that I’m the best musician he knows. He comes to visit every day on his way to work and he brings me breakfast or a coffee or snacks.”

“He does?” That did not sound anything like what Valerie knew of the Boyfriend.

“Yes! I know he has a sort of resting grumpy face, but he’s truly very sweet and- oh, here he comes now!”

Valerie whipped her head around. She couldn’t see the Boyfriend anywhere and Jaskier was waving at- huh, he was waving at the terrifying man that had been flirting with him earlier. The man walked towards them and hovered awkwardly next to Jaskier who wriggled happily and patted the seat next to him invitingly. The man sat down hesitantly, seemingly unsure of how welcome he would be. Jaskier plastered himself to the man’s side and leaned his head on his shoulder. The man blushed and wrapped one arm around Jaskier’s waist supportively. Valerie smirked at the sight.

“I see.”

Jaskier had a new boyfriend! One that wasn’t a piece of shit who berated him every week and left bruises on his wrists. One that supported his music and his business. One that was looking down at the top of his head with the sappiest fucking expression Valerie had ever seen in her life. She stuck out her hand for him to shake. “I’’m Valerie. I run this bar.”

“Geralt.”

“Nice to meet you, Geralt.”

“Hm. You- you too.”

“So, what did you think of our Jaskier’s performance?”

Jaskier squeaked and looked up at her with wide, nerve-filled eyes. He was definitely avoiding asking Geralt’s opinion on purpose. Well, Valerie wanted to know. Jaskier swallowed thickly and clearly braced himself for the feedback,

“Three words or less.” He prompted.

“You were perfect.” Geralt shot out before blushing red. Jaskier’s own blush darkened and they avoided each other’s eyes. They were so cute, Valerie almost gave into the urge to start blushing herself, but she was a grown woman and it would take a lot more than a couple of kids complimenting her to make her embarrassed. It was a close call though… a _very_ close call.

Grinning wickedly, she moved along the bar to serve her other patrons. They didn’t need her interfering with their date any more than she already had. She also had a job to do; she couldn’t stand around listening to them all night, no matter how tempted she was to do so. From where she worked behind the bar, she did have a good vantage point to keep an eye on them, just to make sure Jaskier was alright.

* * *

Jaskier and Geralt had linked their fingers together again, although they didn’t face each other. They sat ramrod straight, staring at the vodka bottles shelved behind the bar with red faces. Every few seconds they glanced at the other from their peripheral vision. They always missed each other, until finally after what felt like days, they caught one another’s eyes. They both blushed and looked away immediately and Valerie wanted to scream.

Geralt decided to stare down at the bar in front of him, while Jaskier physically steeled himself before saying something to his new boyfriend. Speaking of, how on earth had they managed to actually start dating? They were too shy to even speak to each other! Did Jaskier just grab the first handsome man he could find off the street and start holding his hand and calling him his boyfriend? Did he find the most terrifying person he could in order to keep the Ex away?

Valerie watched them from her peripheral vision as they both slowly loosened up and their words started flowing. It appeared to mostly be Jaskier blathering away and flailing his arms wildly without realising as Geralt allowed his own hand to be tugged around. Geralt smiled softly down at Jaskier without talking over him, but also without contributing anything whatsoever to the conversation. Valerie narrowed her eyes. She would keep watch on this situation. She didn’t want Jaskier to be overcompensating by going from the Ex’s extreme narcissism to the New Boy’s distant detachment.

She edged her way along the bar to approach them once again. “Would you lads like another round?”

Valerie has seen men who look like Geralt enter her bar before. They always order another round, either vodka shots or a whiskey on the rocks but nothing less than a hard liquor, taken straight. It didn’t matter to her, what she was judging on was how he would react to _Jaskier’s_ order.

The Ex mocked any cocktails for being too “girly” and insisted that Jaskier drank too much. Then when he began asking for a simple glass of water, the Ex mocked him for being boring and unimaginative. When the Ex tried to order one of their experimental cocktails for himself, even insisting on not paying as he was “doing them a favour”, Valerie had almost told him to go fuck himself right then and there. Instead she gave him her best customer service smile and told him that they no longer offered that service. The fit he threw had been an absolute sight to behold. She still treasured that memory, months later.

Geralt didn’t answer her, and looked over to Jaskier expectantly. Jaskier seemed nervous. “Would that be… alright?” He asked Geralt. “I-I’ve already had two. I wouldn’t want to-to overdo it or anything.”

“Hm. Two. Not a lot.”

“It’s not?”

“It’s not.” Valerie confirmed. She thought it was a miracle to get Jaskier to drink two drinks in one night, let alone any more than that.

“Doesn’t matter anyway. Not driving.” Geralt shrugged.

“That’s true.” Jaskier mused and tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Okay, I accept! Miss Valerie, please bring us two of your favourite cocktail!”

“Coming right up.” She raised her eyebrows and waited for Geralt to protest that he would rather drink anything other than a cocktail.

Geralt didn’t say anything, but he did look pleased.

* * *

“Are you coming back next week?” Valerie addressed her question to the still mostly sober Geralt. He had an incredibly drunk Jaskier leaning into his chest and giggling as he hid his face in Geralt’s neck. After his third drink, Jaskier was easily convinced to delve into a fourth, then a fifth, then a sixth. Geralt held Jaskier up with one hand on his lower back and clumsily picked the guitar up from where it leant against the bar. His tongue poked out slightly in concentration.

“I think Jaskier would, hm, would like to.”

“You make sure he comes back.” Valerie waved a stern finger at him.

Geralt tilted his head curiously and looked at her with concentration. If Valerie were a lesser woman, she would have been pissing herself at the terrifying expression on his face. As it was, she simply stared back at him.

“Hm. Thank you.”

She blinked in surprise. “What for?”

“For letting him perform tonight. He wasn’t sure. If you’d let him. Didn’t want to appear, hm, presumptuous. Asked me to wait outside with his guitar.”

“Wasn’t sure? _Wasn’t sure?_ That boy is literally the best performer I’ve ever had in my bar. Of course I was going to say yes!”

“Hm. That’s what I told him.”

“Good. You can tell him I said so when he sobers up.”

Geralt shook his head. “You tell him. Next week. At open mic night.”

Valerie laughed. “Fine! Fine, you win! I’ll tell him. Now get out of here. Take my favourite performer home before I decide to keep him.”

“Hm.” Geralt tugged Jaskier closer, his large hand spanned over his back possessively. Jaskier giggled and leaned up to nibble at the lobe of his New Boy’s ear. Geralt made a cut-off choked noise as he dug his teeth in.

Valerie snorted. “Well go on then, lad, before he takes you right here and now.”

Geralt turned red.

**Author's Note:**

> Why are they struggling to talk to each other? Well, Jaskier sang a love song and they accidentally made eye contact during his performance. Oops!
> 
> I promise the next one will be their first date, since two different people asked for it! But I was already working on this one, so this one gets posted first. I hope you liked it anyway!
> 
> All comments are loved and appreciated and you can still give me prompts for this au! :D <3


End file.
